JAPANESE FUNERALS

Funerals are never happy news.  We all wish that we
do not have to face our beloved ones in such a
setting.  However, when we do, we want to express
our deep condolences by mourning and praying for
them.  Understanding and knowing the traditional
Japanese funeral manners will help us express
respect to the deceased as well as to their families
and relatives.

Japanese religion lies in Buddhism and although details
of practices can vary depending on sects, general
practice is shared.  Also, even when Buddhism is not
regularly practiced in the family, funerals tend to be
based on the Buddhist style when held

FUNERAL WAKES AND MEMORIAL SERVICE

OTSUYA (Wake ceremony)

“Otsuya” is a ceremony where close family and
relatives regret parting of their loved one by staying
up the whole night in the same room with the
departed.  Originally, only the bereaved and close
relatives attended.  However, in the recent years,
it has become so that persons who are unable to
attend the memorial (funeral) ceremony, stop by to
show their condolences.  Make sure to inform the
bereaved of your visit before hand in this case. 
Wake ceremonies are therefore announced and usually
start from 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. and lasts for 1-2 hours.

SOUGI (Funeral ceremony)

“Sougi” is a ceremony where close relatives gather to
pray for repose of the departed soul and peace for its
spirit. 

KOKUBETSUSHIKI (Memorial ceremony)

“Kokubetsushiki” is a ceremony where friends and
acquaintances gather to say their goodbyes.  

“Sougi” is to be followed by “Kokubetsushiki”. 
However, these ceremonies are often times joined
together as one ceremony.  At this time, this
ceremony would be referred to as
“Sougi / Kokubetsushiki”.

*“Osoushiki” (Funeral) refers to the whole funeral process
including the above ceremonies and the cremation
ceremony.

WHAT TO WEAR

Men

Black formal suit with white business shirt, black ties and
no tie pins.  Belts, socks, shoes should also be black

Dark navy or grey suits are okay for wakes.

Women           

Black formal one-piece dress suit or a black formal
kimono.  Bags, shoes, stockings should also be black.
Shiny material such as enamel, as well as leather
and furs are considered improper (Leather bags/
shoes are okay).  No ccessories should be worn
except for marriage ring, and a single pearl necklace,
if any.  Black or dark colored suits or one-piece dress
should be okay for wakes.

OKODEN (Offering/Condolence money)

Okoden started out when incense was offered at funerals
to comfort the soul of the deceased.  This incense scent
worked as a deodorizer after the earth burial.  In the past,
Okoden has turned into rice or vegetable offerings as
well, however, in the present, since the host of the funeral
prepares the necessities, the offering turned to cash as a
meaning to bear cost of the incense and also, as a show
of mutual support towards the bereaved for their
unexpected expense.

Crisp new bills should never be used for Okoden.  This
comes from the thought that preparation of new bills
suggests unfortune had been foresaw.

The amount varies on your relationship with the
deceased.  5,000 yen or 10,000 yen should be
appropriate for friend/colleague.  Be careful to avoid
the numbers 4 and 9 at funerals.  4 can be read as
“shi” in Japanese, which sounds the same as death
and 9 can be read as “ku” and this can suggest the
word “kurushii” which means suffering.

INCENSE OFFERING

Move to the position in front of the altar and bow to the
bereaved relatives.  Move to the altar and bow deeply.

Take one step forward to offer incense.  After you have
finished offering incense, place the balms of your
hands together in prayer and slightly lower your head. 
Take one step back facing the altar and bow deeply
before returning to your seat.

2 types of incense: MAKKO and SENKO

MAKKO- incense powder

Using the 3 fingers (thumb, index,
middle) of your right hand, take a
pinch of the powder incense. 
Lower your head slightly and bring
it to your forehead before sprinkling
them into the incense burner. 
Repeat this 1-3 times.  The number
of times for this process depends
on the religious sect.

SENKO-incense stick

Pick up the incense using your right hand and light it with
the candle.  Number of incense
here can be 1-3 depending on the religious sect.   Use your left hand to put out the flame.  Take caution never to blow out the flame.

Place it in the incense burner.  
Again, depending on the religious
sect, the incense will be either
laid down or set up.  If you will be
setting up the incense, place it
slightly apart from each other to prevent smoke from
clouding together and also place it in the rear section so
that following attendees will have enough space to place
their incense.

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Sakura is the name for cherry trees and their blossoms in
Japanese.  There are over 200 varieties throughout Japan. 
The most well known kind is ‘Somei Yoshino’ with pale pink
blossoms which bloom and fall about a week before leaves
come out.  Many Japanese have gatherings under the blossoms
with their own drinks and food, even dancing and singing after
few drinks of sake.  ‘Yama-zakura’, wild cherry trees,  ‘Yaezakura’,
double-flowered cherry trees and ‘Shidare-zakura’, weeping
cherry trees, are also well known.

Japan Meteorological Agency announces a forecast of
predicted dates of cherry blossom blooming dates on the
first Wednesday in March each year.  They usually start blooming
in Kyushu in mid March but in Hokkaido they don’t bloom until
some time in May.

Cherry blossoms are used for Japanese sweets and their tea

is served especially at happy occasions. Their picked leaves
are also edible and used to wrap
sakura-mochi.  Cherry trees are
often used to make small  containers
for tea leaves and ornaments, and barks
are also used for ornaments, as
well as Chinese herbal medicine.

Sakura is often used in emblems by many schools and
institutions including Japanese Police and Self-Defense Force. 

The famous spots for viewing ‘sakura’ can be found at
http://blog.realestate-tokyo.com/archives/cat_50043305.html 

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November 15th, people visit shrines for Shichigosan.
Shichigosan is a traditional abservance of children's growth.

Boys of three and five years of age and girls of three and seven
are dressed up and taken to a shrine.
There they pray that the god will protect the children as
they grow. 

From ancient times, odd numbers have been considered
lucky in Japan.  That is why children are feted at ages three,
five, and seven.

You will see little girls in kimono and little boys dressed up,
holding paper bags with pictures of a crane and a tortoise.
There are long sticks of candy inside of the bag called
'Chitose-ame'.  Chitose means a thousand years, ame means
candy.  It bears the wish that the children will grow up
healthy and live a long life.














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Tori-no-ichi is a festival held at shrines around the
country on Days of the Rooster in November.

Tori-no-ichi for this year is the 11th of November
and the 23rd of November.

Originally a festival of Otori Shrines dedicated to the
god of good fortune and commercial prosperity,
it is now held at other shrines as well.  The gradest
Tori-no-ichi is that of the Otori Shrine in Asakusa.

November has two or in some years three Days of the
Rooster called in order the First, Second and Third Rooster.
On these days stalls selling good luck charms fill the
shrine's precincts and the area in front of its gates, and
vendors enegetically hawk their wares.

You will find many bamboo rakes(Kumade),
a mask of a moon-faced woman (Otafuku),
gold coins (Koban), treasure chest (Senryo-bako) 
and such, all charms that bring good luck.








This year we have only two Tori-no-ichi.
The saying goes that you have to watch out in
years with three Tori-no-ichi, because there're
lots of fires.  Next year we 'll have three.


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When we drive by Aoyama Cemetery in Tokyo
for area tour with clients from overseas,
we are often asked about Japanese funeral.

So this is about typical Japanese funeral style:

Tsuya (a wake) is held the night before the deceased
is buried.  Relatives and close friends spend the last night
with the corpse, praying for the soul of the departed.

The body is laid out with head to the north.
A picture of the deceased and heaping bowl of rice
with chopsticks stuck vertically into it are set on an altar.
A buddhist priest offers sutras, and the deceased is
given an honorary Buddhist name.











Black-and-white striped curtains and wreaths
donated by friends and relatives are put up for
the Kokubetsushiki (the final farewell ceremony).

Mourners proceed one by one to the altar, press their
palms together in prayer and burn pinches of incense.

Finally, the nails of the coffin lid are pounded shut with a
stone and it is put into the hearse.







At the crematorium, relatives and friends gather the
cinders of bone with chopsticks and put them in an
urn which is later buried in a tomb.

In parts of the country where it is still customary to bury
the dead uncremated, the body is taken to the cemetery
in a funeral procession.

Usually mourners wear black, and men, black neckties.
Traditionally they bring Okouden (incense money) to the
dead person's home.  Returning home after the funeral,
they purify themselves at the entrance with a sprinkling
of salt.

Nowadays the entire funeral is managed by a professional
undertaker.  While funerals are generally held at the
home of the deceased, when that is not large enough
they are held at temples or public buildings.
Or, Christians may request a church funeral.

Ancient Japanese ideas of the soul persist, and it is still
believed that the souls of the dead return to the world
each summer at Obon.


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We have national holidays almost every month.

Coming Monday is 'TAIIKU NO HI (Health and Sports Day)'.

Two years after the 1964 Summer Olympics, the first Taiiku no hi
was held on October 10th. (1966)

In 2000, Taiiku no hi was moved to the second Monday
in October as a result of the Happy Monday Seido.
It is a day to promote sports and physical and mental health.
Many schools and companies choose this day to hold their annual
'Undo-kai (Field Day)' or some events.

Have a nice long weekend








To check other national holidays in Japan,
please see our previous blog:
http://blog.realestate-tokyo.com/archives/50340478.html


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